Personal hygiene bag

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated from an outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outer member having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football; the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space; the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is in communication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag; wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus for containing,transporting, and storing personal hygiene items.

Personal hygiene items are necessary in modern society. These items areoften packaged in personal sized packages. Numerous personal hygieneitems must be stored when not in use, and may be transported fromdestination to destination. While numerous referenced are directed tostoring personal hygiene items, a tough an rugged carrying case suitablefor storing personal hygiene items has been largely ignored.

Accordingly, there is a need for a personal hygiene bag which is capableof storing and containing various personal hygiene items, whichmaintains its shape to allow for such items to be stored and removedfrom the place in which they are being kept. In addition, a need existsfor a personal hygiene bag which provides a tough, rugged surface andwhich is esthetically pleasing to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a bag for holding one or morepersonal hygiene items comprises:

an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated froman outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outermember having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and aminor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football;

the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formedtherein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis andessentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is incommunication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion andremoval of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag and whereinthe closable opening has an open and a closed position;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the innerenclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football whenthe closable opening is in the closed position.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a bag for holding one ormore personal hygiene items comprises:

an outer member having an outer member interior surface and an outermember exterior surface having a prolate spheroid shape comprising amajor axis and a minor axis, configured in the shape of an Americanfootball;

an inner member having an inner member exterior surface and an innermember interior surface, wherein the inner member exterior surface isengaged with the outer member interior surface;

the inner member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

said outer member and said inner member including a closable openingformed therein in a direction essentially parallel with the major axisof the prolate spheroid and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis,the opening in communication with said inner enclosed space affordingthe insertion and removal of the one or more personal hygiene items fromthe bag;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned to be equal to or smaller indimension than a regulation sized American football, such that the innerenclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football;

wherein the bag comprises one or more fluid filled chambers in physicalcommunication with the outer member interior surface, said fluid filledchambers oriented parallel to the major axis, parallel to the minoraxis, or a combination thereof, such that the fluid filled chambers arebiased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shapeof the bag in an American football shape.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may be better understood.Additional features and advantages of the invention will be describedhereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a bag according to the present invention with azipper in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a bag according to the present invention with azipper in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a bag according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of accordingto the present invention cut parallel to the minor axis;

FIG. 5 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of accordingto the present invention cut parallel to the major axis;

FIG. 6 is a partial cut away perspective side view of an alternativeembodiment of the bag of according to the present invention cut parallelto the minor axis;

FIG. 7 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of accordingto the present invention cut parallel to the major axis;

FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and 8 d are cross sectional views of embodiments ofthe bag according to the present invention taken parallel to the minoraxis; and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the bag accordingto the present invention taken parallel to the minor axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustratingthe general principles of the invention, since the scope of theinvention is best defined by the appended claims.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present inventionmay be practiced without such specific details. In other instances,well-known devices have been shown in block diagram form in order not toobscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part,details unnecessary to obtain a complete understanding of the presentinvention have been omitted in as much as such details are within theskills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarilyshown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated bythe same reference numeral through the several views.

Broadly, the present invention generally provides a bag for holding oneor more personal hygiene items comprising:

an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated froman outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outermember having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and aminor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football;

the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formedtherein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis andessentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is incommunication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion andremoval of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the innerenclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football,preferably, wherein the outer member is dimensioned to be equal to orsmaller in size than a regulation sized American football, such that theinner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized Americanfootball.

It is to be understood that the dimensions of the instant bag render thebag unsuitable for use as a carrying device for a regulation sizedAmerican football. For purposes herein, a regulation sized Americanfootball conforms is a football which corresponds to the 2006 NCAAFootball rules, having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axiswhich is 10⅞ inches to 11 3/16 inches long, and a circumference aroundthe major axis of 27¾ inches to 28½ inches; a circumference around theminor axis of 20¾ inches to 21¼ inches.

As shown in FIG. 1, a top view of an embodiment of the instant bag forholding personal hygiene items, bag 10 comprises an outer member 12having an outer member exterior surface 14. Outer member 12 has aprolate spheroid shape 16 comprising a major axis 18 and a minor axis20, wherein bag 10 has a shape 16 of an American football.

Outer member exterior surface 14 includes a closable opening 22 formedtherein. In a preferred embodiment, closable opening 22 is arranged in adirection essentially parallel to major axis 18 and essentiallyperpendicular to minor axis 20. Closable opening 22 is in communicationwith an inner enclosed space (See FIG. 2) affording the insertion andremoval of one or more personal hygiene items from bag 10.

Closable opening 22 may include a fastening member 24 having an open anda closed position. The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows fasting member 24 tobe a zipper, and is depicted in the closed position. In an embodiment,fastening member 24 may be selected from any one of the group consistingof a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snap fastening system,a button—button hole fastening system, and/or a combination thereof.

Turning now to FIG. 2, which shows a top view of a bag according to thepresent invention with fastening member 24 being a zipper in the openposition, closable opening 22 is in communication with an inner enclosedspace 26. In an embodiment, inner enclosed space 26 is defined by and/orbound by an outer member interior surface 30. Closable opening 22 ispreferably dimensioned to afford facile insertion and/or removal of oneor more personal hygiene items from the bag, represented generically byitem 28 in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, closable opening 22 may be held closed by any numberof fastening members 24. Fastening member 44 may be a snap fasteningsystem 32, a button—button hole fastening system 34, a hook and loopfastening system 36 (e.g., Velcro), any combination thereof, or thelike. Bag 10 may further include a carrying strap 64 attached to outermember 12. In an embodiment, carrying strap 64 may be attached to outermember 12 at one or more ends 66 of the prolate spheroid shape 16 andmay form a loop 68 attached to a single end, and/or may form a carryingloop 70 attached to each of the two ends 66 of the prolate spheroidshape.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, bag 10 comprises aplurality of protruding objects protruding from, and/or attached toouter member exterior surface 14, wherein the plurality of objects aredimensioned and arranged to resemble a plurality of laces 38 arranged onouter member exterior surface 14 in two rows, a first lace row 40 and asecond lace row 42, parallel to major axis 18, wherein closable opening22 is arranged between first lace row 40 and second lace row 42.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, outer member 12 may include aplurality of side members 44 each attached along a periphery of the sidemember to corresponding side member 44 to produce the prolate spheroidshape 16 of the instant bag 10. Side members 44 may be sewn together,glued together, welded together, or otherwise attached in a mannerconsistent with an American football, as is commonly known to one ofskill in the art. In an embodiment, outer member exterior surface 14 mayinclude a pebbling texture consistent with an American football, as iscommonly known to one of skill in the art.

In an embodiment, bag 10 may include one or more resilient members 46,each in physical contact with outer member interior surface 30. In anembodiment, at least one of the resilient members 46 is orientedparallel to the minor axis 20 and is biased against outer memberinterior surface 30 to maintain the shape of bag 10 in the form of anAmerican football. As shown in FIG. 5, in another embodiment, at leastone of the resilient members 46 is oriented parallel to the major axis18 and is biased against outer member interior surface 30 to maintainthe shape of bag 10 in the form of an American football.

In an embodiment, the one or more resilient members 46 each comprise ametal spring and/or a resilient polymeric member comprising high densitypolyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, super-low-densitypolyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer,ethylene-acrylate copolymer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer,ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymer,amorphous polystyrene, crystalline polystyrene, vinyl chloride resin,polyamide resin, polyacetal resin, polycarbonate resin,ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-1-butene rubber, propylene-1-butenerubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene block copolymer, ora combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 6, in an embodiment, bag 10 may further include aninner member 48 in physical contact with outer member interior surface30. In an embodiment, inner member 48 is essentially impervious towater. In an embodiment, inner member 48 comprises a rubber and/orelastomeric material which is impervious to water.

Inner member 48 may thus include an inner member exterior surface 50 andan inner member interior surface 52. In an embodiment, inner memberexterior surface 50 is engaged with and/or attached to outer memberinterior surface 30.

In an embodiment, bag 10 comprises one or more fluid filled chambers 54in physical communication with outer member interior surface 30. Fluidfilled chambers 54 may be oriented parallel to major axis 18 (See FIG.7), parallel to the minor axis 20 (See FIG. 6), or a combinationthereof, such that fluid filled chambers 54 are biased against outermember interior surface 30 to maintain the shape 16 of bag 10 in anAmerican football shape.

FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and 8 d shown cross sectional views of bag 10 takenparallel to minor axis 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 a, fluidfilled chamber 54 may be attached to inner member outer surface 50. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 8 b, fluid filled chamber 54 may be formedbetween the inner member outer surface and the inner member innersurface, and thus may be integral to inner member 48. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 8 c, fluid filled chamber 54 may be formed between theouter member exterior surface 14 and the outer member interior surface30, wherein bag 10 includes inner member 48 and thus may be integral toouter member 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 d, fluid filledchamber 54 may be formed between the outer member exterior surface 14and the outer member interior surface 30 and thus may be integral toouter member 12, wherein bag 10 does not includes inner member 48.

In an embodiment the fluid 56 of fluid filled chambers 54 is a gas at25° C., and or is a liquid at 25° C. Fluid 56 may comprise water, and/ora viscosifying agent. In an embodiment, fluid 56 may be a finely dividedsolid which flows like a liquid.

As shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 9, bag 10 may furthercomprising at least one attachment strap, loop, and/or pocket disposedwithin the inner enclosed space and dimensioned and arranged forsecuring one or more of the personal hygiene items within the innerenclosed space. Personal hygiene items suitable for storage in bag 10may include one or more of a safety razor, a container of shaving cream,a container of deodorant/antiperspirant, a container of hair gel, acontainer of hair spray, a nail clipper, a tweezers, a comb, a brush, ashaving mirror, a shaving brush, and a combination thereof.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates topreferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

1. A bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: anouter member having an outer member exterior surface separated from anouter member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outermember having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and aminor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football; theouter member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space; theouter member exterior surface including a closable opening formedtherein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis andessentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is incommunication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion andremoval of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag and whereinthe closable opening has an open and a closed position; wherein theouter member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed spaceis smaller than a regulation sized American football when the closableopening is in the closed position.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein theclosable opening comprises a fastening member having an open and aclosed position, wherein the fastening member is selected from the groupconsisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snapfastening system, a button—button hole fastening system, and acombination thereof.
 3. The bag of claim 1, further comprising one ormore resilient members, each in physical contact with the outer memberinterior surface, wherein at least one of the resilient members isoriented parallel to the minor axis and is biased against the outermember interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in the form ofan American football.
 4. The bag of claim 1, further comprising one ormore resilient members, each in physical contact with the outer memberinterior surface, wherein at least one of the resilient members isoriented parallel to the major axis and is biased against the outermember interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in the form ofan American football.
 5. The bag of claim 4, wherein the one or moreresilient members each comprise a metal spring.
 6. The bag of claim 4,wherein the one or more resilient members each comprise a resilientpolymeric member comprising high density polyethylene, linearlow-density polyethylene, super-low-density polyethylene; polypropylene,ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-acrylate copolymer,ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer,ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymer, amorphous polystyrene, crystallinepolystyrene, vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyacetal resin,polycarbonate resin, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-1-butenerubber, propylene-1-butene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber,styrene-butadiene block copolymer, or a combination thereof.
 7. The bagof claim 1, further comprising an inner member in physical contact withthe outer member interior surface, wherein the inner member isessentially impervious to water.
 8. The bag of claim 1, furthercomprising at least one attachment strap, loop, and/or pocket disposedwithin the inner enclosed space and dimensioned and arranged forsecuring one or more of the personal hygiene items within the innerenclosed space.
 9. The bag of claim 1, wherein the one or more personalhygiene items are selected from the group consisting of a safety razor,a container of shaving cream, a container of deodorant/antiperspirant, acontainer of hair gel, a container of hair spray, a nail clipper, atweezers, a comb, a brush, a shaving mirror, a shaving brush, and acombination thereof.
 10. The bag of claim 1, further comprising acarrying strap attached to the outer member exterior surface at one ormore ends of the major axis of the prolate spheroid shape.
 11. The bagof claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protruding objectsprotruding from, and attached to the outer member exterior surface,wherein the plurality of objects are dimensioned and arranged toresemble a plurality of laces arranged on the outer member exteriorsurface in two rows parallel to the major axis, a first lace row and asecond lace row, wherein the closable opening is arranged between, andparallel to the first lace row and the second lace row.
 12. A bag forholding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: an outer memberhaving an outer member interior surface and an outer member exteriorsurface having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and aminor axis, configured in the shape of an American football; an innermember having an inner member exterior surface and an inner memberinterior surface, wherein the inner member exterior surface is engagedwith the outer member interior surface; the inner member interiorsurface defining an inner enclosed space; said outer member and saidinner member including a closable opening formed therein in a directionessentially parallel with the major axis of the prolate spheroid andessentially perpendicular to the minor axis, the opening incommunication with said inner enclosed space affording the insertion andremoval of the one or more personal hygiene items from the bag; whereinthe outer member is dimensioned to be equal to or smaller in dimensionthan a regulation sized American football, such that the inner enclosedspace is smaller than a regulation sized American football; wherein thebag comprises one or more fluid filled chambers in physicalcommunication with the outer member interior surface, said fluid filledchambers oriented parallel to the major axis, parallel to the minoraxis, or a combination thereof, such that the fluid filled chambers arebiased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shapeof the bag in an American football shape.
 13. The bag of claim 12,wherein the fluid filled chambers are attached to the inner member outersurface.
 14. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid filled chambers areformed between the inner member outer surface and the inner member innersurface.
 15. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid of the fluid filledchambers is a gas at 25° C.
 16. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluidof the fluid filled chambers is a liquid at 25° C.
 17. The bag of claim12, wherein the opening comprises a fastening member having an open anda closed position, wherein the fastening member is selected from thegroup consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snapfastening system, a button—button hole fastening system, and acombination thereof.
 18. The bag of claim 12, further comprising aninner member in physical contact with the outer member interior surface,wherein the inner member is essentially impervious to water.
 19. The bagof claim 12, wherein the inner member comprises an elastomeric polymer.20. The bag of claim 12, further comprising at least one attachmentstrap, loop, and/or pocket disposed within the inner enclosed space anddimensioned and arranged for securing one or more of the personalhygiene items within the inner enclosed space.